Senior Golkar Leader Calls for National Congress

Malang, E Java (Antara) - Chairman of the Advisory Board of Golkar party of Bali congress Akbar Tanjung calls for a joint national congress to end the split in the party leadership. The party leadership has split into one elected in a national congress in Bali under Aburizal Bakrie and one elected in a national congress held later in Ancol, Jakarta, under Agung Laksono. The two groups have agreed to a reconciliation but they have to agree on the way to reconcile. "Golkar has to find a breakthrough immediately that the party would not be forsaken by the people, especially as elections for regional leaders would start early March," Akbar said here on Saturday. There would be 204 regional elections all over the country including 16 in East Java, he told East Java regional leaders of the party. There must be an immediate solution to the internal problem of the party, he repeated. "We have offered a recommendation to be considered by the party central executive board (DPP) that is a reconciliation through a joint National Congress," he said. (*)